I Have Bad News For You: what it is and how to remove it
I Have Bad News For You is an elaborate scheme that belongs to the extortion scam category. According to the FBI, the number of such felonies increased drastically over the summer, and it seems like blackmailing campaign is not going anywhere anytime soon.
Facts checked October 7, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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I Have Bad News For You: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Name | I Have Bad News For You |
| Type | Ad-supported download manager |
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 4 more facts
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
|---|---|
| Program | I Have Bad News For You |
| First seen | 12 December 2018 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
Is I Have Bad News For You safe? Why it is flagged
From our report of Dec 2018 · not reviewed since
I Have Bad News For You is one of sextortion scams that can leave baffled users out of money
I Have Bad News For You is an elaborate scheme that belongs to the extortion scam category.
According to the FBI, the number of such felonies increased drastically over the summer, and it seems like blackmailing campaign is not going anywhere anytime soon. Bad actors send out thousands of emails to victims around the world, hoping that many will pay due to blackmailing techniques used.
The attack begins with a subject line in the email, typically showing users' password or other sensitive information. Crooks behind I Greet You I Have Bad News For You imply that malware that injected into the user's PC allowed them to record an embarrassing video by using systems' camera and obtain all the social media information.
Allegedly, if the victim does not pay the demanded ransom of $813 in Bitcoin, all the compromising material will be sent to victim's friends and family. However, I Have Bad News For You is merely a scam and should not be trusted.
There are many similar email campaigns created (I am a spyware software developer email scam, I'm a programmer who cracked your email scam, There is nothing hidden that is not shown, Porn Blackmail, and many others), and it is not known how many different groups are using this technique, although there has been evidence discovered that even organized crime might be involved in scams like I Have Bad News For You.
What should you do if you received the email saying that it will expose your personal pictures or videos to your dearest people? Do not pay ransom is the first answer. DO NOT contact these cybercriminals, as it will only encourage them to send out more phishing email. You should simply remove I Have Bad News For You email from your inbox after forwarding it to authorities.
To make I Have Bad News For You email more believable, scammers to go extra lengths. They explain the whole situation as follows:
All of the above is fake and, and crooks simply want to intimidate regular users, especially those who have no idea how malware works. Where did they get your password? From previous data breaches, such as Radisson Hotel data breach, Ticketmaster breach, and many others.
I Have Bad News For You removal from your inbox might not be enough, however. Even if the chance that your machine has been compromised is pretty low, it is still a possibility. Therefore, if you received suspicious emails, or noticed any other unnatural behavior on your PC, scan with , , or other security software.
Also, some sextortion scams have been noticed spreading GandCrab ransomware recently. Therefore, it is another good reason to keep your system secure from malware by installing reputable security solution.
From our report of Dec 2018 · not reviewed since
Phishing emails are here to stay: here's how not to fall for them
Social engineering attacks are often used by cybercriminals to reach their goals - which usually involves money extortion.
Sextortion campaign works so well because it uses several layers of deceit, scaring the vulnerable and anxious recipients. Therefore, the best way to avoid getting caught off guard is by learning how to recognize the malicious email. Experts suggest following these steps:
Also, remember that phishing emails might contain malware in the attachments, so make sure you first scan them using anti-virus software before opening.
- Do not panic, and read the email carefully;
- Check if the message is located in the Spam box (although some emails manage to pass through the built-in scanners);
- Enter the subject line or the first sentence of the fake message into Google Chrome or other browser and look for results - if it is actually a scam, there will be hundreds of forum/blog posts or articles about the compromised email;
- Scan your machine with reputable anti-malware software;
- Consult online communities on forums, security sites and similar - do not make rational decisions!
From our report of Dec 2018 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on I Have Bad News For You
- The author suggests that the system was infected with a virus, and compromising material was recorded via the camera or history of porn browsing was stolen
- If you think your computer might be compromised, you should scan it with security tools like or
- In the software of the router to which you were connected that day, there was a vulnerability.
- I first hacked this router and placed my malicious code on it.
- When you entered in the Internet, my trojan was installed on the operating system of your device.
- After that, I made a full dump of your disk (I have all your address book, history of viewing sites, all files, phone numbers and addresses of all your contacts).
How to uninstall I Have Bad News For You
How to remove I Have Bad News For You
Uninstall it and remove the extras it installed, then scan for the files you downloaded with it.
Step 1: Uninstall I Have Bad News For You
Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11, or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10.
Sort the list by install date and find I Have Bad News For You, then choose Uninstall from the three-dot menu next to it (in Windows 10, click the entry and then Uninstall).
Remove anything else installed on the same day that you do not recognise, because such programs usually arrive together in one installer. If the uninstaller opens a browser page with an offer or a survey, close it: the program is removed either way.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 2: Remove it from startup
Whatever I Have Bad News For You installed usually starts with Windows.
Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, go to Startup apps in Windows 11 or the Startup tab in Windows 10, and disable what you do not know, starting with entries that have an empty Publisher column.
Open file location on the right-click menu shows the file, which helps you decide and tells you what to delete later. Disabling is safe: if something you need stops working, switch it back on.
Full procedure with screenshots: Stop apps from opening at startup On uGetFix
Step 3: Delete the folders left behind
What the uninstaller leaves behind is usually in the user folders. Open File Explorer, switch on View > Show > Hidden items (in Windows 10 View > Hidden items), and go through
%LocalAppData%,%AppData%, %ProgramData% and the two Program Files folders.Sort by Date modified and delete folders that appeared together with the problem and belong to no program you use. Folders with random names that hold
.exe,.dll, .js or .ps1 files are the strongest sign.Full procedure with screenshots: Remove what malware leaves behind in Windows
Step 4: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan and remove everything it finds. Then select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now: the PC restarts and scans before Windows loads, which finds files that hide while Windows runs.
Save your work first, because the offline scan takes about 15 minutes. Both scans are built into Windows 11 and Windows 10, and a second scanner from another vendor is a useful extra opinion.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Manual removal using Safe Mode
Important! →
Manual removal guide might be too complicated for regular computer users. It requires advanced IT knowledge to be performed correctly (if vital system files are removed or damaged, it might result in full Windows compromise), and it also might take hours to complete. Therefore, we highly advise using the automatic method provided above instead.
Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Networking
Manual malware removal should be best performed in the Safe Mode environment.
Windows 7 / Vista / XP
- Click Start > Shutdown > Restart > OK.
- When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 button (if that does not work, try F2, F12, Del, etc. - it all depends on your motherboard model) multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
- Select Safe Mode with Networking from the list.
Windows 10 / Windows 8
- Right-click on Start button and select Settings.
- Scroll down to pick Update & Security.
- On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
- Now scroll down to find Advanced Startup section.
- Click Restart now.
- Select Troubleshoot.
- Go to Advanced options.
- Select Startup Settings.
- Press Restart.
- Now press 5 or click 5) Enable Safe Mode with Networking.
Step 2. Shut down suspicious processes
Windows Task Manager is a useful tool that shows all the processes running in the background. If malware is running a process, you need to shut it down:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Click on More details.
- Scroll down to Background processes section, and look for anything suspicious.
- Right-click and select Open file location.
- Go back to the process, right-click and pick End Task.
- Delete the contents of the malicious folder.
Step 3. Check program Startup
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Go to Startup tab.
- Right-click on the suspicious program and pick Disable.
Step 4. Delete virus files
Malware-related files can be found in various places within your computer. Here are instructions that could help you find them:
- Type in Disk Cleanup in Windows search and press Enter.
- Select the drive you want to clean (C: is your main drive by default and is likely to be the one that has malicious files in).
- Scroll through the Files to delete list and select the following:
Temporary Internet Files
Downloads
Recycle Bin
Temporary files - Pick Clean up system files.
- You can also look for other malicious files hidden in the following folders (type these entries in Windows Search and press Enter):
%AppData%
%LocalAppData%
%ProgramData%
%WinDir%
After you are finished, reboot the PC in normal mode.
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files.
More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
From our report of Dec 2018 · not reviewed since
Do not contact cybercrooks and delete I Greet You I Have Bad News For You message
As we already mentioned, do not contact criminals at all times.
Instead, you should contact your local authorities that deal with fraud (they will most likely ask you to forward the phishing email so do not remove I Have Bad News For You just yet).
After that, you can take care of I Greet You I Have Bad News For You removal from your Inbox, although it is not mandatory. Experts also advise to change all passwords that you use and employ a password manager that could keep your accounts safe. Remember, never reuse your old passwords or use them for multiple accounts!
Questions about I Have Bad News For You
Can I safely uninstall I Have Bad News For You?
If you did not install I Have Bad News For You yourself and it is not part of your hardware or a program you rely on, yes. Uninstalling an unwanted program does not harm Windows.
Before you do, search the exact name and publisher to be sure it is not a driver tool, a printer utility or a game launcher with an odd name. Then remove it from Settings, Apps, Installed apps.
Ignore any offers or warnings in its uninstaller about losing protection or performance. Afterwards check Startup apps and your browsers for leftovers, and restart once to confirm that it does not reinstall itself.
I Have Bad News For You will not uninstall. What can I do?
First restart the PC and try again, because the program may have been running and locked its own files. If the uninstaller is missing or fails, start Windows in Safe Mode, where most third-party programs do not start, and remove I Have Bad News For You from Installed apps there.
If it still refuses, delete its startup entry and its scheduled task, restart, and try once more. A program that actively prevents removal is behaving like malware, so finish with a Microsoft Defender offline scan. Avoid third-party uninstallers offered on search ads; several of them are unwanted programs themselves.
Can I use I Have Bad News For You safely?
Yes, if you installed it on purpose and control its settings. Download it only from the publisher's own site, never through a bundle or a portal. After installing, disable automatic start, offers and telemetry, and check that it did not change your search engine or add extensions.
Watch for renewals if you bought a licence, and turn on PUA blocking in Windows Security so that anything it tries to add during updates is stopped. If I Have Bad News For You keeps pushing payments or offers, it is not worth the trouble.
I Have Bad News For You came back after I removed it. Why?
Something reinstalls it:
- another program from the same bundle
- a scheduled task that downloads it again
- a browser extension restored by sync
Look in Installed apps for anything from the same publisher or installed on the same date, and in Task Scheduler for tasks with the program's name or random names. Remove extensions while signed in to the browser so sync deletes them on every device.
Remove everything in one session and restart. If I Have Bad News For You still returns, a full scan and a Microsoft Defender offline scan usually find the part that brings it back.
Could I Have Bad News For You be a legitimate program?
Possibly. Some programs that cause I Have Bad News For You in the list of installed apps are real products from real companies that simply use aggressive distribution.
Check the publisher in Installed apps and the digital signature in the file's Properties. A known publisher and a program you actually use mean you can keep it and only adjust its settings.
An unknown publisher, a program you never opened and no clear purpose mean it should go. If it came bundled with something else, the decision is easy: you did not choose it, so remove it and keep the program you actually wanted.
Will removing I Have Bad News For You speed up Windows?
It often helps a little and sometimes a lot, depending on how many programs came in the same bundle. Every unwanted program that starts with Windows adds to boot time and uses memory. The one behind I Have Bad News For You in the list of installed apps is no exception.
Remove it, check the Startup list for others, restart and compare. If the PC is still slow, look at disk space, Windows updates and the processes at the top of Task Manager. A clean PC should sit almost idle when no programs are open.
Why does my antivirus call I Have Bad News For You a PUA or PUP?
These labels mean potentially unwanted application or program. They are used for software that is legal but uses deceptive distribution, aggressive ads, misleading claims or a hard removal. Microsoft's PUA categories include advertising software, bundlers, download managers, torrent clients, marketing software and miners.
A PUA detection is a warning, not proof of infection, and you decide whether to keep I Have Bad News For You. Other vendors use their own labels for the same idea, such as PUP.Optional or not-a-virus. Read more in our guide to potentially unwanted programs.
Can Windows block unwanted programs automatically?
Yes, with one setting. Windows Security has Potentially unwanted app blocking under App & browser control > Reputation-based protection settings. Block apps stops flagged programs from installing, and Block downloads works in Microsoft Edge.
On some PCs this was not switched on, which is how programs like I Have Bad News For You got through. It does not catch everything, so read installer screens, choose Custom setup and decline offers. Removing free tools you no longer use also helps, because their updates are a common route for new bundles.
Is my privacy at risk because of I Have Bad News For You?
A little, not dramatically. Unwanted programs tend to report what you install, which sites you visit or how you use the program back to their publisher. That data is sold or used for ads.
The sign people noticed, I Have Bad News For You in the list of installed apps, is consistent with such a program, and nothing reported suggests access to your files, camera or passwords.
Remove it, delete its leftovers and clear the browser data if it touched the browser. From then on, keep Potentially unwanted app blocking switched on in Windows Security, which stops many of these programs before they install.
Will Fortect remove I Have Bad News For You?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For I Have Bad News For You, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- ZDNet: Radisson Hotel Group suffers data breach, customer info leaked (read October 7, 2026)
- 2-spyware: Magecart hacker group was responsible for Ticketmaster data breach (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 7, 2026)